Scott Long's Comedy Fly-Over Country

October 1, 2011October 1, 2011

Not all audience members are created equal.

I think interacting with the audience is something that sets standup apart from all other art forms.

So I like to do some crowd work in my show. I have some lines that I have in my back-pocket that work every time, but most of the time when I riff with an audience it’s off the cuff. It’s kind of a high-wire act, but it creates some of the best moments I’ve ever had on-stage. In this clip I ask the audience who has been drug tested. The first woman tells me she is a 911 operator. Seems like a job where that’s a good idea. Then I get some absolute comedy gold as a woman tells me she gets drug tested for court. I don’t want to blow the surprise, so I won’t share anymore. What is special is that at the end of the show, this same woman gets asked by her boyfriend to marry her in front of the audience. What a memorable night!

NOTE: Since I know a lot of newbie comics read this blog, the one thing I think you can learn from me during this video is how calm and deliberate I am when riffing with the audience. By doing this, you convey you are in control, that you are listening carefully to the audience, and it gives you time to think of something on your feet.